Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-08

That Is Claimed Both Man and
Woman-An Embezzier's Supposed Fate
Relies of the Disaster-The OficiaI
Investigation Proceeding.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT. Feb. s.
The railroad commissioners of Vermont be-
gan an investigation Monday into the cause
of the railroad accident here. The board
is composed of Ex-Governor Pingree, chair
man; Hon. W. L. Clarke and Hon T. C.
Fletcher. The first witness called was En-
gineer Pierce He testified that he had bsen
in the employ of the Central Vermont for
twenty two years, fourteen years of which
he bad been an engineer 1--WE should have
left by time table at t2.40 a. IN. - be said
'but were an hour and half late, leaving
at 2:l0 a. m. We ran at regular schedule
rate making up no time before the bridge
was reached, then slowed up as usual, and a
little more so, as the air brakes seemed to
take hold better than usual l applied the
air brakes about three times the length Of
he train back from the bridge which was
the usual place. | never went over the bridge
| without slowing up. l should judge the
| train was going about eight miles an hour. |
noticed no unusual jar, or anything before
reaching the bridge; in fact not at any time
until the engine was stopped. |
was sitting on my seat looking ahead when
the first unusual thing occurred, which was
| the sound Of the alarm bell from the cars We
were then about in the middle of the bridge
1t struck but once. Ny hand was within
| foot OF the lever which arpiies the air-brakeS.
The brakes were let of before reaching the
bridge, | applied my brakes instantly, bnt
| did not reverse my engine at all. After ap-
| plying the brakes looked Cut of my win
dow. The engine was then about two-t thirds
| Of the way across the bridge ami | saw the
rear Pullman of the train falling from the
rear end of the bridge. In falling 1t drew
| the three next cars with it. The coupling
| evidently broke between the smoker and thu
| first passenger coach
| Engineer Pierce continued BY explaining
| that it is not customary to reverse at the bell
| signal. The engine is never reversed except
when danger is ahead Il would have done
no good to reverse, for by the time he got
| the signal the cars We're already falling off
the bridge He went down the bank as soon
as he could. He carried his shovel with him,
and tried TO put the fire out by shoveling
| snow on 1t, but it had already got so far that
he could not extinguish it, AMI he and the
other trainmen began to help the people out
| Work was resumed On the wreck early
Monday and by noon nearly all the pieces of
| broken cars had betn pulled from the clutch
Of the ice, and it was decided that no more
bodies were there. The topof the third car
from the rear was extricated In large sec
tons No whole bodies were found, but
parts of mans thigh, some small bones and
flesh tprobably of a woman, number of
smaller fragments and part of a woman's
felt hat with feather, wers discovered 1t
could not ha determined how many victims
these fragments represented Every sho vel
full of ice, iron and ashes was carefully
searched for money, iswelry, and whatever
Else might assist in the Identification of the
killed. During the forenoon a lady'S Geneva
gold watch, - in Canadian money, ii mans
fourteen carat gold ring, a partly melted
silver dollar, the iron work of lalv's bag
and near it purse containing two quarters
and several pennies were found 1t is feared
several bodies got through tire ice and were
ioated down I he river.
The following additional persons have
been ascertai ned to be missing and are sup
posed to be lost: Homer Riggs, of Middle
bury, Vt, H.. B. Brooks. of Cornwall. Ont ,
Peter or Fred Blais, o. Springfield. Mass.
But few strangers are now here looking for
friends
A section hand states that Sunday be saw
L woman's body sucked under the ice before
ne could grasp it. 1t is reported that the
wife of Ex-Governor Horace Fairbanks of
st Johns bury, Vt, the scales manufacturer.
is among the lost The governor was here
Sunday and searched vainly for his wife's
body. 1t is said that her cloak and watch
have been found A T. Hazen. a farmer Of
this place, is also supposed to have perishsd
There Is quite dispute gong on over the
Identification of one of the burned bodies
between friends Of Gorge }. Bell, of Bel
lows Fall, ami Mrs DevIneau of Ninooski
Both claim the remains. Wearing apparel,
a watch AMI Other articles belonging to Bell
was found with the corpse and so 1t was con.
cluied 1t must bt his Two doctors who
have examined the body, find positive evil
dence that II is that of a young woman. II
is thought that Bel and Mrs. DevIneau must
have died near each other and that is how
the remains became mixed up. However
neither Of the claimants will give IN, and
there it remains.
Charles B. Hsbard. of Cambridgeport,
Mass, who Is supposed to be among thu
dead Is wanted in Boston for the embazzIe-
ment OF 500 Superintendent Small, Of
Boston, telegraphed to Chief Randall OF
this place, Monday morning TO arrest him il
it was found that he was not dead He wa:
mixing his escape TO CInada. His name i.
not included among the injured, but he may
have given a fictitious name and continue
on his way.
Monday morning the doctors made theil
rounds among the injured by the railway
disaster and found all greatly improved
even those whose condition was considered
not dangerous
| The Strike Mt ,Iersey CITY